MANILA — The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has granted more than 1,000 special permits to buses to allow them to carry more passengers during Holy Week.

In a statement, the LTFRB said 1,018 special permits have been issued as of April 8 to increase the number of provincial buses during the peak travel period. 

The special permits are valid from April 11 to 27, covering Holy Week and the week after.

Meanwhile, the LTFRB said it has also started inspecting public utility vehicles to check their fare matrices, vehicle markings, and safety accessories, and ensure the validity of their operators' documents.

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LTFRB Chairperson Teofilo Guadiz III warned passengers against riding unregistered vehicles.

“Iwasan din sana natin ang pagsakay sa mga ‘colorum’ o illegal na mga sasakyan dahil ang mga ito ay hindi dumaan sa tamang inspeksyon at walang insurance coverage para sa pasahero,” he said.

The LTFRB also said itwill also monitor private terminals starting April 11 to make sure that these have help desks and enough personnel to assist passengers.

Guadiz also encourages passengers to plan their trips during Holy Week.

“Ang paalala po namin sa mga pasahero ngayong Holy Week ay magplano nang maaga. I-check ang schedules ng biyahe at tiyaking maayos na ang mga tiket at ibang necessary documents,” he said.